Another drinking thread....advice requested

[nala]

I didn't start drinking until I turned 30 an then I only did it socially. Lately, I do it when I go out with friends and 3 is my limit and those outings are few and far between. At home, I realize that I look forward to drinking after a long day of work but mostly bc I associate it with a good time. I associate going to happy hour with my hubby and drinking with having a good time. But, that gets expensive so we limit those outings to weekly ones. Drinking at home doesn't have the same effect so a bottle of wine will spoil so I don't buy them. I should add that my hubby doesn't drink a drop so that helps. Even though my sisters and hubby don't drink but I do, I have never wrestled with this question of when is drinking too much probably bc I'm surrounded by male alcoholics so I know whT that looks like. If I put saving money over drinking then I know I'm fine. I think that if you are worried, and it's very proactive of you to be, you should address those concerns. Maybe reach out to your hubby, who seems to appreciate drinking and discuss If you both should tryicutting back together, it will be more effective.

 

[House Cat]

Phoenix,

I really admire your ability to be so transparent about this subject but most of all, I admire your courage.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I'm pretty health conscious and weight conscious, so I use those reasons to keep myself in check. A recent study showed that one glass of red wine a day is equivalent to an hour at the gym, so that amount beneficial for one's health. Therefore, I don't go beyond a glass 'cos then it is just empty calories. Whether if it is at home or out in restaurant, I usually limit myself to 1 glass ( Dh pours generously) of a really good red wine. Dh and I also try to limit our drinking to weekends as well, occasionally we'll open a bottle during the work week, but it is very rare, as we have impressionable preteens in the house.

 

[ame]

If you want to stop, the best way, I think is to avoid situations where there is alcohol. And just not have it. I drank in college and my early 20s and one day I just...stopped. I hated the feeling, and it didn't really taste good. I didn't like myself when I went out with people and I had alcohol. I felt like I wasn't me. And I wasn't even drunk. I just felt like it wasn't me. It was not appealing. So now I just don't drink. And the RARE times back then I wanted one I removed myself from a situation where alcohol was present. I just stopped allowing myself to have it. And if it was around I left the premises.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I'm pretty health conscious and weight conscious, so I use those reasons to keep myself in check. A recent study showed that one glass of red wine a day is equivalent to an hour at the gym, so that amount beneficial for one's health. Therefore, I don't go beyond a glass 'cos then it is just empty calories. Whether if it is at home or out in restaurant, I usually limit myself to 1 glass ( Dh pours generously) of a really good red wine. Dh and I also try to limit our drinking to weekends as well, occasionally we'll open a bottle during the work week, but it is very rare, as we have impressionable preteens in the house.

Can you link the study please? I am curious.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I totally cut out alcohol for a couple months and felt much better and after that decided to limit myself to one drink most of the time and two drinks on nights out with friends and that has worked good. I found that switching to wine leaves me satisfied with one glass (trying to avoid hard liquor)... And, mostly it's been easy to reduce alcohol because I was ready to do so...being in my early 40s and becoming more conscious of health and well being.

 

[misskittycat]

I used to drink a reasonable amount when I worked. In the industry I was in, it was common place to go out 2-3 night a week. By that, my colleagues would - conservatively - drink 8-12 drinks. I might stretch to 4. I've never really been a huge drinker.

When I moved in with my husband (we were dating at that point), his place was a lot further out of the centre of town than my apartment. Transport was limited so I had to drive more. Hence I dropped the nights out and the drinking way down. Maybe one night a week out with colleagues and and dinner out with him once a week. I would have no more than 3 drinks unless it was a special occasion.

When I got pregnant I stopped drinking completely. And then I didn't drink when I was breastfeeding - okay, I had a champagne at Christmas, but that meant for 18 months I basically didn't drink at all. That was 4 years ago and I never really got back into it. Sure, I love a really nice glass of champagne or a cocktail, or a glass of wine at the end of a very hard day, but I would say on average I would have no more than 2 glasses a week. Often less. I don't like the way I feel the next morning when I have had a few too many. And the hangovers are so hard now I have an early rising toddler to contend with. It's just not worth it.

 

[missy]

I'm pretty health conscious and weight conscious, so I use those reasons to keep myself in check. A recent study showed that one glass of red wine a day is equivalent to an hour at the gym, so that amount beneficial for one's health. Therefore, I don't go beyond a glass 'cos then it is just empty calories. Whether if it is at home or out in restaurant, I usually limit myself to 1 glass ( Dh pours generously) of a really good red wine. Dh and I also try to limit our drinking to weekends as well, occasionally we'll open a bottle during the work week, but it is very rare, as we have impressionable preteens in the house.

Can you link the study please? I am curious.

I don't think it adds up. Too bad though it would have been nice lol. If something sounds too good to be true it usually is...

http://www.scienceforfitness.com/2014/11/17/no-a-glass-of-wine-doesnt-equal-1-hour-of-exercise/

No, A Glass of Wine Doesn’t Equal 1 Hour of Exercise
November 17, 2014 by Science For Fitness


In this week’s post I return to my roots and highlight some new reporting that doesn’t quite do justice to the reality of a scientific study. It all began when I saw a Facebook link to an online article entitled “Drinking A Glass Of Red Wine Is The Same As Getting An HOUR OF EXERCISE, Says New Study and Our Wildest Dreams.” You can view the original Bustle.com web article here. But when you view it, you can see that it is actually citing another second-hand source (found here) with even less information.


Both articles have very misleading titles. The articles note that the authors of the scientific study, Dolinsky et. al, 2012, have claimed an antioxidant compound in wine (resveratrol) can yield similar benefits to exercise. And yet the title of both articles suggests drinking wine was examined in the study. So, let’s directly examine the Dolinsky et. al study, which actually was published two years ago I might add (despite both web articles posting about the study within the past few months).


The Takehome: It’s possible that a glass of wine equals an hour of exercise, but the Dolinsky study didn’t ask that question, so such a claim has no basis in regards to this work. The study looked at one compound in wine (resveratrol) and found that treating rats with resveratrol results in a variety of physiological changes that are also found after exercising. While some “exercise effects” of resveratrol occurred when the compound was given to rats that were not exercise trained, the majority of the data in this study looks at the effects of resveratrol on exercise trained rats. As a result, the data in the paper make a stronger case for resveratrol improving aspects of health & fitness (insulin and glucose sensitivity, time to exhaustion, fat oxidation) in rats that were previously exercised trained. So, this study is more applicable to an athletic population, not a sedentary one. Still, the improvements noted are not entirely clear-cut. For example, although cardiac function was improved by resveratrol in several ways, it was not improved in one of the most sought after ways – cardiac output. The effects of exercise on the human body are vast and this study suggests resveratrol can duplicate some of them, but not all. And as for wine, we can only speculate.


STUDY DETAILS:
The Experiment:
Male rats were used as a model for humans in this study.
4 g of resveratrol per kg body weight per day was administered to rats in their food.
Initial exercise training was 60 minutes of daily, forced treadmill running (speed increased progressively during sessions) for 5 days/wk. Total duration of the training was 12 weeks.
Exercise testing was performed using a series of forced treadmill running bouts to exhaustion. A control group of rats was handled similarly, but did not receive any exercise training.
A variety of outcome measures were assessed in addition to time to exhaustion: Muscle force production, left ventricular wall stress, glucose and palmitate oxidation rates (from isolated heart tissue), glucose and insulin tolerance, gene expression analysis of isolated heart tissue.


The Results:
Rats supplemented with resveratrol had significant improvements (~25%) in time and distance to exhaustion whether they had exercise training or not.
Comparing only the rats who had exercise training, those given resveratrol had increased exercise performances of around 20%.
Muscle (tibialis anterior) twitch force was greater (~18%) in resveratrol treated rats who exercised compared to exercisers without resveratrol. A similar result was found in the soleus muscle (~58% increase in twitch force).
Exercised rats given resveratrol had significanly improved left ventricular (blood) ejection fractions compared to those without resveratrol, but heart rate and cardiac output was unchanged.
Insulin and glucose sensitivity were improved and oxygen consumption increased in exercised rats given resveratrol compared to those who were not.
Analysis of excised (removed) heart tissue indicated resveratrol enhanced certain markers of fat oxidation/metabolism in exercise-trained rats.


The Limitations:
Male rats were used in this study and the results may not be applicable to male and female humans.
Intact heart rate and cardiac output measurements were conducted under anesthesia.
Cardiovascular measurements from excised heart tissue do not entirely match changes observed in the intact animals.
Cardiovascular measurements from excised heart tissue indicated enhancements in only some markers of fat oxidation/metabolism; free fatty acid and cardiac triglyceride levels were not altered by resveratrol treatment.

 

[partgypsy]

Here is review benefits and risks of alcohol. If you don't already drink, no reason to start. It also doesn't improve health for women to have more than 1 drink per day. But I don't think people should beat themselves up for low/moderate use in the scheme of things.

Working in medical centers residents joke re: gross anatomy, you can stretch the alcoholic's arteries like rubber bands because they are so elastic (though the look of the liver is of course another story)

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/alcohol-full-story/

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Here is review benefits and risks of alcohol. If you don't already drink, no reason to start. It also doesn't improve health for women to have more than 1 drink per day. But I don't think people should beat themselves up for low/moderate use in the scheme of things.

Working in medical centers residents joke re: gross anatomy, you can stretch the alcoholic's arteries like rubber bands because they are so elastic (though the look of the liver is of course another story)

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/alcohol-full-story/

Right, health benefits stop after half a serving a week. One drink a night is considered heavy drinking for a woman.

 

[partgypsy]

Here is review benefits and risks of alcohol. If you don't already drink, no reason to start. It also doesn't improve health for women to have more than 1 drink per day. But I don't think people should beat themselves up for low/moderate use in the scheme of things.

Working in medical centers residents joke re: gross anatomy, you can stretch the alcoholic's arteries like rubber bands because they are so elastic (though the look of the liver is of course another story)

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/alcohol-full-story/

Right, health benefits stop after half a serving a week. One drink a night is considered heavy drinking for a woman.

No moderate is up to a glass a night for women (more for men) (other sites have higher amounts listed).
But again there are known health hazards to drinking as well (for example mentions increase in risk of breast cancer for drinking in women); I just don't want people thinking the article says more than 1 drink a week for women is more than moderate drinking.

(from one of citations)
What Conclusions Can We Make About a Protective Effect of Wine Against Heart Disease?

Moderate intake of alcoholic beverages (1 to 2 drinks per day) is associated with a reduced risk of CHD in populations. There is no clear evidence that wine is more beneficial than other forms of alcohol, although further research is needed regarding the potential protective non–lipoprotein-altering effects of substances unique to wine. If wine does have additional effects, it appears that many of the same additional biological effects might be achieved with grape juice.19 41 Despite the biological plausibility and observational data in this regard, it should be kept in mind that these are insufficient to prove causality. There are numerous examples in the cardiovascular literature of studies that have documented consistent population and mechanistic data that have not held up in clinical trials, eg, β-carotene, vitamin E, and hormone replacement therapy. It is impossible to adequately adjust for factors related to human behavior that cannot be measured in observational designs. Although moderate use of wine and other alcohol-containing beverages does not appear to lead to significant morbidity, alcohol ingestion, unlike other dietary modifications, poses a number of health hazards. Without a large-scale, randomized, clinical end-point trial of wine intake, there is little current justification to recommend alcohol (or wine specifically) as a cardioprotective strategy. The American Heart Association maintains its recommendation that alcohol use should be an item of discussion between physician and patient.

This statement was approved by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee in September 2000.

another
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2017200,00.html

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Here is review benefits and risks of alcohol. If you don't already drink, no reason to start. It also doesn't improve health for women to have more than 1 drink per day. But I don't think people should beat themselves up for low/moderate use in the scheme of things.

Working in medical centers residents joke re: gross anatomy, you can stretch the alcoholic's arteries like rubber bands because they are so elastic (though the look of the liver is of course another story)

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/alcohol-full-story/

Right, health benefits stop after half a serving a week. One drink a night is considered heavy drinking for a woman.

No moderate is up to a glass a night for women (more for men) (other sites have higher amounts listed).
But again there are known health hazards to drinking as well (for example mentions increase in risk of breast cancer for drinking in women); I just don't want people thinking the article says more than 1 drink a week for women is more than moderate drinking.

(from one of citations)
What Conclusions Can We Make About a Protective Effect of Wine Against Heart Disease?

Moderate intake of alcoholic beverages (1 to 2 drinks per day) is associated with a reduced risk of CHD in populations. There is no clear evidence that wine is more beneficial than other forms of alcohol, although further research is needed regarding the potential protective non–lipoprotein-altering effects of substances unique to wine. If wine does have additional effects, it appears that many of the same additional biological effects might be achieved with grape juice.19 41 Despite the biological plausibility and observational data in this regard, it should be kept in mind that these are insufficient to prove causality. There are numerous examples in the cardiovascular literature of studies that have documented consistent population and mechanistic data that have not held up in clinical trials, eg, β-carotene, vitamin E, and hormone replacement therapy. It is impossible to adequately adjust for factors related to human behavior that cannot be measured in observational designs. Although moderate use of wine and other alcohol-containing beverages does not appear to lead to significant morbidity, alcohol ingestion, unlike other dietary modifications, poses a number of health hazards. Without a large-scale, randomized, clinical end-point trial of wine intake, there is little current justification to recommend alcohol (or wine specifically) as a cardioprotective strategy. The American Heart Association maintains its recommendation that alcohol use should be an item of discussion between physician and patient.

This statement was approved by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee in September 2000.

another
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2017200,00.html

Sorry, I meant *more* than 7 drinks (standard) size is heavy drinking. Most people I know drink more than standard size servings. From NIAAA, "According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate drinking is up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men."

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking

The health benefit info is at work. That said lots of things aren't good for us but doesn't necessarily cause major medical issues. It just bothers me when people justify drinking as a benefit for their health. That's like someone saying ice cream is good for you because of the calcium.

 

[partgypsy]

I have alcoholism in my family, and for those people there is no safe level of alcohol use. But I don't like scientific inaccuracy either. Alcohol may just be one of those things, that a little is good but too much is bad. Same thing with fat. I do think people often under estimate the amount they are drinking. My husband didn't think he drank that much, and so I said, well just for a week or 2 record how much you drink, and compare it to the guidelines. This was a year or 2 ago. I think he was a little shocked, and cut down, for example not drinking every day and if he does drink, limiting the amount per evening to no more than 2 or 3. He lost weight and I think he feels better for it.

For me I don't think I have an issue with drinking (I'm a lightweight) so for me I think I'm on the side that it is not harmful, plus my drink of choice is a glass of red wine with dinner. But like any "vice" the amount of drinking, or eating of sweets or soda can creep up on you, so for some people it is easier just to cut it out than limit it. that was true for me for sugar. I think it's great when people make changes to improve their health

 

[House Cat]

What stands out most to me about a lot of the stories here is that most everyone or everyone has been able to moderate or stop drinking when they felt they were consuming too much alcohol.

My family is full of addicts too. They can't stop. My mother's life has been ravaged by alcoholism in ways that I could never describe here, my life too as a matter of fact.. But she doesn't even see it. The last time I ever spoke to her, she had been on quite a roll for about a year. She had accidentally set fire to herself. She had a bunch of drunken panic attacks and called the police. She would get so drunk that she wouldn't know who she was talking to on the phone. Then she drank while caring for my son. She never had before, but she crossed the line. I asked her to get sober from her 40 years of drinking and she said she didn't have a problem. When I pointed out all of the ways that alcohol had affected her life, she said that she wasn't drinking anymore, she was just having wine with 7-up! When I confronted her about my son, she lied.

I am not saying any of this as a "poor me" story. I just want to show the behavior of a die-hard alcoholic and how they will protect their addiction. She eventually chose it. I can see that, it has been there for her all her life.

I know these things are on a spectrum.

I don't drink. I used to drink a couple of times per year. Now I just hate it.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I think the most important consideration is that you are concerned about the amount you have been drinking. Its not as hard as you think to fall into the trap of over drinking. No-one starts out saying , "Oh, I think I'll become an alcoholic." It progresses. So, if you think you like it too much, try limiting it to once a month when you go out for dinner. No drinking at home. If you have trouble with this, then perhaps you just abstain. No one needs alchohol. If you need a buzz, try a new hobby. I like bike riding, not quite like Missy, but its a nice
pastime and will lift your endorphins. Running is too hard on the legs.

Get the thought out of your head that you need it to relax. Grow a garden. One of the most relaxing things I know.
Change some of your habits, get new ones. Change things up!


Annette

 

[MishB]

I've never been a super big drinker, I don't drink every day by any means.

But boy I do love me some drink!

When my husband and I were in the US recently on holiday a friend mentioned that he was taking a month off drinking, I casually said 'that sounds like a good idea, I should do that too'. My husband scoffed and said 'you could not!'

That was like a red rag to a bull, the thought that he thought I couldn't go a month without drinking alcohol.

So I did, in March. It was hard, I didn't think it would be easy, but I didn't realise it would be SO hard.

I don't plan to give up alcohol altogether, I'd hate that, I love good wine, and good craft beer, and a gin and tonic. But it certainly made me appreciate it more, and to re-think the casual unconscious drink, opening a bottle of wine and just drinking it as a beverage rather than savouring it.

And I'm even planning to do another alcohol free month, later this year, just because I know I can.

 

[partgypsy]

Both my sister and I have done that, taken a month or 2 off drinking at various times, because we have alcoholics in our family, and it is a way of checking, am I drinking for the enjoyment of it or is it because I need a drink? Hard to explain unless you have alcoholics in your family. Being around this person, plus having to go to joint family sessions and counseling for this individual I feel more aware of the potential destruction of alcohol addiction, and the signs of it, than average person.
You have to remember, that once they start, they cannot stop. So they are more likely to say not drink all week, but then binge on the weekend. Or refrain during the workday, but once they get home continue to drink until drunk. It is easier for an alcoholic to not drink for a week or month, but then once they do drink have multiple drinks, than to have 1 drink a day with a meal, for social reasons in a moderate fashion.

 

[House Cat]

From what I understand it isn't IF you can go a week or a month or even a year without booze. It is how you feel without it. When you abstain, are you ok or do you obsess about it? What kind of withdrawal do you experience and does it interrupt any part of your life, including your emotional wellbeing. Also, when you go back to drinking, what is your behavior?

There are alcoholics who hardly ever drink but when they do, watch out! They are binge drinkers and they have every bit as much of a drinking problem as the everyday drinker. I had a friend like this and she would black out and end up in strange places with no idea what happened to her! I think, sometimes, this type of drinker might be worse because of the harm it brings to the person.

I've done some al-anon and there were some addicts in there as well. They called themselves "double winners" because they were co-dependent and addicts. But they described the obsession for their substance of choice. When they didn't have it, it was gnawing at their minds.

My mom was able to go long periods without drinking. She could just completely stop for weeks. I think she played this little game with herself... "see? If I can just drop it for weeks, I surely am not an alcoholic!" But the problem was that she ALWAYS went back to it, always. Life would get stressful or she would want to have fun or she would just settle back into her routine. She would always find some sort of reason to start drinking again.

The strangest thing about my mom is that we ALL had to deny her drinking problem although we all knew she had one. We all had to pretend she was ok. She would call me drunk on a regular basis, but the next morning, we all had to pretend it didn't happen. She even hid the booze in a back cabinet in her own home...she lives alone.

I see people with drinking problems play these little games with themselves all of the time. They never drink alone, because that is what alcoholics do. They never drink before 5:00 pm. They only drink a certain number of times per week. They only drink a certain amount of alcohol. All of these things are good and well for limitations, I guess. But what it really comes down to is whether or not you need the booze even within these limitations. (I am not saying any of this toward anyone who has posted here. I have a BUNCH of drinkers in my life and I have watched them all play these games with themselves and they clearly need help. I haven't met anyone here, so I am not making any judgements or assumptions about you except to believe that you all are in perfect control.)

I worry about becoming an alcoholic all of the time. I used to watch a show called Intervention, where they show addicts at their worst and then they get them in rehab. They had several instances of late-onset alcoholism. I thought I was in the clear when I reached 30! These late-onset individuals were far worse than anything I had ever seen. The worry I have actually messes with me, I think. I don't even drink now. I hate drinking. And every once in a while, I crave wine. My husband says that if I eliminated chocolate, I would crave that too. But that craving, the anxiety of becoming addicted, and my family history really scares me. And it's the anxiety that amplifies it all, makes the entire subject so loaded that I have decided to abstain. I am sharing this with you just in case you might be feeling some sort of anxiety about this subject. If you are, maybe you might want to wait until it passes or work on it before you make any decisions to drink. Anxiety can skew situations and make everything unclear.

 

[partgypsy]

From what I understand it isn't IF you can go a week or a month or even a year without booze. It is how you feel without it. When you abstain, are you ok or do you obsess about it? What kind of withdrawal do you experience and does it interrupt any part of your life, including your emotional wellbeing. Also, when you go back to drinking, what is your behavior?

There are alcoholics who hardly ever drink but when they do, watch out! They are binge drinkers and they have every bit as much of a drinking problem as the everyday drinker. I had a friend like this and she would black out and end up in strange places with no idea what happened to her! I think, sometimes, this type of drinker might be worse because of the harm it brings to the person.

I've done some al-anon and there were some addicts in there as well. They called themselves "double winners" because they were co-dependent and addicts. But they described the obsession for their substance of choice. When they didn't have it, it was gnawing at their minds.

My mom was able to go long periods without drinking. She could just completely stop for weeks. I think she played this little game with herself... "see? If I can just drop it for weeks, I surely am not an alcoholic!" But the problem was that she ALWAYS went back to it, always. Life would get stressful or she would want to have fun or she would just settle back into her routine. She would always find some sort of reason to start drinking again.

The strangest thing about my mom is that we ALL had to deny her drinking problem although we all knew she had one. We all had to pretend she was ok. She would call me drunk on a regular basis, but the next morning, we all had to pretend it didn't happen. She even hid the booze in a back cabinet in her own home...she lives alone.

I see people with drinking problems play these little games with themselves all of the time. They never drink alone, because that is what alcoholics do. They never drink before 5:00 pm. They only drink a certain number of times per week. They only drink a certain amount of alcohol. All of these things are good and well for limitations, I guess. But what it really comes down to is whether or not you need the booze even within these limitations. (I am not saying any of this toward anyone who has posted here. I have a BUNCH of drinkers in my life and I have watched them all play these games with themselves and they clearly need help. I haven't met anyone here, so I am not making any judgements or assumptions about you except to believe that you all are in perfect control.)

I worry about becoming an alcoholic all of the time. I used to watch a show called Intervention, where they show addicts at their worst and then they get them in rehab. They had several instances of late-onset alcoholism. I thought I was in the clear when I reached 30! These late-onset individuals were far worse than anything I had ever seen. The worry I have actually messes with me, I think. I don't even drink now. I hate drinking. And every once in a while, I crave wine. My husband says that if I eliminated chocolate, I would crave that too. But that craving, the anxiety of becoming addicted, and my family history really scares me. And it's the anxiety that amplifies it all, makes the entire subject so loaded that I have decided to abstain. I am sharing this with you just in case you might be feeling some sort of anxiety about this subject. If you are, maybe you might want to wait until it passes or work on it before you make any decisions to drink. Anxiety can skew situations and make everything unclear.

yes, you said it more descriptively than I could, both what is going on with alcoholic or people who have alcohol dependency issues, and the family members who have gotten to point of questioning, oh no, I'm enjoying this glass of wine, maybe I'm enjoying it too, much, maybe there something wrong with me? I don't really think about this so much now, but there were periods I went through that soul searching as has my sister.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Some of my patients have gone a significant length of time without drinking. It doesn't change the fact they are alcoholic. I believe it is more about lacking healthy coping skills. If the only way someone knows how to deal with stress, depression, anger, loneliness, trauma issues, unresolved grief, etc is to drink there is a problem. That combined with an obsessive and compulsive nature can create some significant consequences. Also addiction is a progressive disease. I have had patients that did not start abusing substances until their kids left for college or retirement.

 

[aljdewey]

Some of my patients have gone a significant length of time without drinking. It doesn't change the fact they are alcoholic. I believe it is more about lacking healthy coping skills. If the only way someone knows how to deal with stress, depression, anger, loneliness, trauma issues, unresolved grief, etc is to drink there is a problem. That combined with an obsessive and compulsive nature can create some significant consequences.

This really is it in a nutshell. I come from a family that has long roots in alcoholism, and it's not strictly about whether or not you have a drink daily. It's about whether you need a drink (whether daily or otherwise) and why you drink. As Tacori noted, if you drink to avoid feelings that come from depression, stress, anger, etc, that signals a likely problem. If you obsess about drinking when you aren't drinking, that signals a likely problem.

This isn't to say that everyone who has a drink from time to time at the end of a crappy day is alcoholic, either. If you can't get through a crappy day ever without drinking or thinking about drinking to cope with it, that signals a likely problem.

I'm fortunate in that I don't struggle with alcoholism even though it runs rampantly in my family. I do drink socially from time to time, and I've even consumed a full bottle of wine over the course of an evening on occasion. But, most days, I don't drink and don't think about drinking. It's not a crutch to avoid feelings or avoid facing problems.

Phoenix, the thing that concerns me for you is that it sounds like you may be either approaching or in a state of dependency. Every day has some focus on alcohol, whether it's actually drinking or thinking (obsessing) about drinking. I think you're right to wonder if it's time to seek some guidance, and I wish the very best for you.

 

[Phoenix]

Just an update ...and thank you for all those who helped: I'm a teetotaller!!

I started training with a personal trainer a couple of months ago and have given up alcohol completely, like completely!! I don't even miss it. I had a couple of sips of champagne a couple of weeks back and thought it tasted bitter, lol!

I was a bit worried when I fell sick last couple of weeks and had to give up training for a while. Nope, still no alcohol. Still not craving it or even obsessing or thinking about it.

YAY YAY YAY!!

 

[CJ2008]

So glad to hear Phoenix!

So looking back, what do you think made you worry about the drinking? Do you now feel that you were worrying unnecessarily? Or do you feel like you're still "wait and see?"

(I hope these questions don't put a damper on what you've shared! It really is great that you're noticing you're not obsessing/thinking about alcohol like you thought you might.)

 

[Phoenix]

So glad to hear Phoenix!

So looking back, what do you think made you worry about the drinking? Do you now feel that you were worrying unnecessarily? Or do you feel like you're still "wait and see?"

(I hope these questions don't put a damper on what you've shared! It really is great that you're noticing you're not obsessing/thinking about alcohol like you thought you might.)

I think I was worrying unnecessarily. I think it's mainly my social life, there's a lot of drinking going on. But now, when I go out, I just reach for water whist all my friends drink away. Nobody even notices or comments anymore. Even at home where there's plenty of alcohol (DH still drinks), I'm not tempted or think about it.

I've wanted to be more healthy, more fit. I lost the excess weight and now have lost a little bit more - mostly fat - and have in fact gained more muscles, yay! I've always been healthy, love my vegs & fruits, love lean protein, love the gym etc...Just wanted to be more "complete", yanno?

Being healthy just comes so naturally to me now, and that was and is still my goal.

Thank you.

 

[Dancing Fire]

[quote="Phoenix

I've wanted to be more healthy, more fit. I lost the excess weight and now have lost a little bit more - mostly fat and have in fact gained more muscles, yay! I've always been healthy, love my vegs & fruits, love lean protein, love the gym etc...Just wanted to be more "complete", yanno?

Being healthy just comes so naturally to me now, and that was and is still my goal.

Thank you. [/quote]


Pics please???...

 

[Phoenix]

[quote="Phoenix

I've wanted to be more healthy, more fit. I lost the excess weight and now have lost a little bit more - mostly fat and have in fact gained more muscles, yay! I've always been healthy, love my vegs & fruits, love lean protein, love the gym etc...Just wanted to be more "complete", yanno?

Being healthy just comes so naturally to me now, and that was and is still my goal.

Thank you.

Pics please???... [/quote]

DF!! tsk tsk! You're so naughty!! lol

 

[CJ2008]

I think I was worrying unnecessarily. I think it's mainly my social life, there's a lot of drinking going on. But now, when I go out, I just reach for water whist all my friends drink away. Nobody even notices or comments anymore. Even at home where there's plenty of alcohol (DH still drinks), I'm not tempted or think about it.

I've wanted to be more healthy, more fit. I lost the excess weight and now have lost a little bit more - mostly fat - and have in fact gained more muscles, yay! I've always been healthy, love my vegs & fruits, love lean protein, love the gym etc...Just wanted to be more "complete", yanno?

Being healthy just comes so naturally to me now, and that was and is still my goal.

Thank you.

That's awesome, Phoenix.

I think DH would drink a lot more if we had a more active social life with people who drink. He's a much more "go with the flow" person than I am. So even though he hardly ever drinks now and is healthy and fit, he would be more tempted to drink than I am (and enjoy it), where I think about how it's going to affect me tomorrow. It's sometimes the reason why I hope one of his good friends never moves close to us because he drinks a lot.

 

[Siameseroo]

Congrats Phoenix!

 

[missy]

Good for you Phoenix!!! Happy it is working out so well for you!

My dh is on a similar no alcohol program for now due to borderline high HgA1C (on a blood test a few months ago and this number has been creeping up for the last few years) and it has been no issue for him to give alcohol up either. Easy peasy. I was relieved because he always enjoyed his cocktails and I thought it might be difficult for him but not at all. He just stopped and it was never even a little bit tempting for him when we went out.

This month we are both getting our annual physicals and it should be interesting to see if his giving up alcohol has helped his HgA1C to go down. And he has also cut down on carb snacking which should definitely help too. Now he snacks on Greek Yogurt and almonds and berries. Fingers crossed it has a positive impact on his blood work so he will be encouraged to continue not drinking alcohol and eating even more healthfully.

Thanks for the update and keep up the good work!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

That is such a great update!!! I think you should be very proud!